New café serves courage and a coffee

SOCIAL enterprise, A Pot of Courage has launched the city’s first intercultural café at Barkly Square.

Operated by migrant women of the Ballarat community, the venue doesn’t only offer food and coffee, but shares diverse international recipes, flavours and stories every Friday from 9am to 1.30pm.

Barista Stefi Tello became a part of A Pot of Courage in February.

Enriching the social enterprise with a Colombian perspective, she has a passion for coffee, and making it for others to enjoy.

“I used to work in hospitality doing coffees, but I wanted to do something different,” she said.

“Shiree Pilkinton asked me to help in the kitchen, and then I started to tell all the staff about my Colombian food.

“They wanted to have that different food from a different country on offer, and they asked me to be part of the team. When Shiree saw that I can do a good coffee, she thought I could be the café’s barista as well.”

Since becoming a valuable part of A Pot of Courage’s operations, and serving customers in the café in recent weeks, Ms Tello said she has felt like she’s gained another family.

“It’s a place where I can learn and improve in the kitchen, especially when it was the first time cooking my Colombian dishes, or cooking others’ dishes.

“As an immigrant, I feel different, but here we can share ideas and give each other feedback. We are all from different cultures, and we can share that. Everyone is important and has a voice,” she said.

“In my country, I studied advertising. I have a publicity background and I love to create. Here, I can use and apply all my abilities.”

A Pot of Courage also cooks takeaway dinner packs for the public; a lockdown initiative which has continued.

Visit apotofcourage.com.au.